Essence
by peenutbutterjell-o
Summary: Haruhiro struggles to come to terms with the departure of his friend and party leader, Manato. But nobody should have to face their demons alone, and he is no exception. YumeXHaruhiro. No longer a one-shot, but a compilation of short stories revolving around their antics off-screen, when the cameras aren't rolling. Find out how their relationship progresses as time passes.
1. Chapter 1

**Comfort**

Edit: Changed a bit of the final portion to make it seem less abrupt. Enjoy!

New Edit: So I've just changed this story from a one-shot to an ongoing series. Few things to take note of: I will mention when this scene occurs at the beginning of the story so there's no confusion, and this story will basically follow the anime in terms of adventure and events. This first chapter picks off after Manato's death, and this goes the same for all subsequent chapters, unless otherwise mentioned. If you have any questions or suggestions to improve this series, feel free to PM me!

 **Time Frame: After Manato's death, and the very night when Shihoru catches the two of them together in each other's arms having a heart to heart talk. Not sure what episode that is.**

* * *

Haruhiro couldn't fall asleep.

Quietly and gingerly to avoid rousing his snoring friends, he slipped into his footwear and crept out of the room, heading for the small sheltered area outside with the old-fashioned open-air stove.

The night sky filled with thousands of twinkling stars was gorgeous as per usual, like a canvas of black velvet sprinkled with gems of varying brilliance that lit up and brought life to an otherwise dull background. You would think that he would have gotten accustomed to the scenery by now, considering the number of days he had already been there, but every time felt like the first time witnessing the awe-inducing beauty of the new world he had been thrust into. He would never get tired of just surveying the breathtakingly surreal environment around him, enjoying the lazy fluttering of the leaves in the cool night breeze, gazing at the dimly lit town of Ortana barely visible in the distance.

From the dew-drops that collects on the surface of the leaves of a vivid, healthy green every morning to the rustic, pastoral state of the structures similar to their lodging spanning and dotting the country sides to every crisp, refreshing breath of air he gathered in his chest… it all made him feel undeniably _alive._

And with that feeling follows the crushing disappointment, the suffocating guilt… for that's the total opposite of his former comrade, Manato.

He still found it hard to wrap his head around the fact that their leader was dead. Buried six feet under after their last raid went horribly wrong and an arrow from a goblin archer in hiding unerringly found its intended mark on his back, grievously wounding him. Manato had pushed on with the rest of them in full retreat despite the fatal injury, putting up a strong front when he was bleeding out the entire trek back to safety. By the time they had discovered the arrow protruding from his back, it was too late.

He was too far gone.

 _If only I had paid more attention to him…_

 _If only I hadn't asked him to heal all our small cuts and nicks…_

 _If only we had tried to protect him more…_

Anguish had Haruhiro bowing his head and gritting his teeth together tightly to hold in the sobs threatening to escape his mouth. He had not cried when Manato closed his eyes for the last time, and he hadn't cried when the High Priest ascertained his friend's departure from the world. He didn't cry when the burial took place in the hillside a short distance away from their house, and neither did he cry when Yume sought him out on their return journey back and cried into his chests with large, body-wrenching wails. He had felt numb to it all, his mind still in a state of denial and refusing to accept that he – no, _they –_ had lost a significant member of their party, the one who had pulled them all together and made them a group in the first place.

Their selfless and intelligent leader.

He had been far more than just the guy who led their party and found a way to make ends meet. Over the past few days, Manato had become a friend to, someone he felt he could confide in and talk freely to without worry of being judged. It helped that they had a lot in common, but the way that they connected almost instantly –

It hurt to breathe, his chest constricting painfully at the idea that he'll never get to spend time conversing casually with Manato again or to get to know him better. _He was a great person. He didn't deserve to die. I should have been the one to take the fall… that way, life could still go on. I'm useless anyway._

And now, in the silence of the night with the gentle wind as soothing as the caress of a loving mother, all the pent-up frustration and sadness were fighting valiantly against his stubborn will to be let out, to be expressed in the most vocal of manners that will at last allow him to find a measure of peace. Sinking down to a sitting position against the stone wall facing the cooking stove where the glowing embers of the fire from dinner still hissed away in exposure to the chilly air, Haruhiro hugged his knees close to his body, suddenly feeling very, _very_ alone _._

A few minutes could have passed that way or it might have been a few hours with him gazing unseeingly into the small, flickering flame burning out slowly, but he gradually became aware of a presence approaching him, familiar and comforting in a way he couldn't possibly explain.

"Haru?" The feminine voice tentatively called out, and when he didn't respond – or couldn't, his throat felt way too dry – she took a few more cautious steps towards him and rested a warm palm on his shoulder.

He tensed, and the hand immediately withdrew. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," Yume hurriedly stammered, and Haruhiro heard two quick steps being taken backwards. "I'm just going to leave – "

"No. Don't." Turning around, interrupting and effectively freezing the floundering girl who was in the middle of making a hasty escape, he beckoned to the space beside him with what he knew had to be the saddest smile in history. "Stay. I need the company." When he saw that she was still hesitant, her eyes darting back to her room, he continued with the word that was on the tip of his tongue.

" _Please."_

Yume bit her lip, wrung her hands before finally nodding once in acquiescence. "Move over," she said quietly and Haruhiro obediently did so, scooting over to give her some space to sit down next to him. There was no lack of space in the sheltered hut, but she shuffled closer to him nevertheless so that the line of their bodies were almost touching, just a hair's breadth away and he felt better instantly, having the heat of her next to him to ground and anchor him, keeping the poisonous thoughts from festering inside his mind.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked.

"Yeah." He inhaled a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "You too?"

"Not really." Her smile was faint when she looked at him. "I woke up and saw a light from outside and came to extinguish the flame."

"Oh." Haru couldn't get himself to maintain eye contact. He was feeling too vulnerable and porcelain-like, as if a single careless touch will cause him to shatter into a thousand pieces. "What about Shihoru? Is she…"

When he trailed off and struggled visibly to find the right word, Yume giggled. "Asleep? Fine?" she supplied helpfully.

"Both, I guess."

"She's definitely asleep. She was snoring away when I left. Is she fine? Honestly? I don't know. We all have different ways of dealing with change, Haru. She might seem fine on the outside, but we never really know until we ask her and she's truthful to us." Yume eyed him steadily, and once again, he averted his gaze to stare down at his knees. "Just like _you._ I think the real question is, are _you_ fine, Haru? I know that Manato was important to you. You were much closer to him than the rest of us."

"I'm fine," he muttered, but the lack of conviction was obvious.

Yume poked him in the side of his rib accusingly with her elbow. "You're lying."

"Okay, maybe I'm not fine," Haruhiro conceded grudgingly, and Yume nudged him again. "Okay, okay, I'm not fine at all. I'm sad, okay? I never imagined that he'll leave us so soon, and under such circumstances." Damn, his vision was getting blurry and the side of his eyes felt damp. He quickly wiped any moisture away with the back of his hand.

"It's okay to cry, Haru," Yume reminded him gently, reaching out with her thumb to brush at the corner of his eye and coming away with a bead of wetness. "Remember how I cried for a few minutes straight today afternoon? I felt so much better after that."

"I don't want to." He shook his head obstinately. "Crying will be admitting that he's gone, Yume, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to face the truth yet. When I went to sleep, I saw the nicely folded stack of clothes on his bed and I – " Haruhiro bit down on his lip. "It still feels like he's around. Watching over us like he always does."

"Maybe he is." There was an edge of wistfulness to her tone as Yume turned to peruse the night sky. "In fact, I _know_ he is. We all don't know him for very long, but he's that kind of person that'll never let any harm come to his friends."

"He didn't deserve to die, Yume," Haruhiro muttered. "If anything, it should have been me. I don't bring anything to the team – "

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT, HARUHIRO!"

He jerked up at the anger-filled shout, and found himself looking into the gleaming depths of Yume's light brown eyes. "Take that back, Haru," she demanded shakily, her hand gripping his bicep hard enough to bruise, "take that back!"

"But it's true – "

"No, it's not." Yume shook her head violently, passion brimming in those beguiling twin orbs. She got into a kneeling position opposite him and grabbed onto both of his shoulders. "Don't ever think that you're worthless or of less value than Manato was to us. You mean a lot to us. You mean a lot to _me!"_

It took him a full second to register what the redhead had just said, and when comprehension dawned, Haruhiro gaped at her. "W-What?"

She was blushing, her cheeks a shade of dusty red, but she pressed on. "I like having you around, Haru. You… I feel safe around you. There's just something about you that makes me comfortable. It's easy to be with you. I'm normally awkward around people, but I don't have that problem talking to you."

A warmth blossomed inside his chest, chasing away the shadows that had once inhabited it. However… "I don't know how I feel right now, Yume," he admitted, and the sadness that curtained over her expression almost made him change his words, but he didn't want to lie to her. "I'm just very conflicted. Manato is gone and we need to adjust to life without him. A new Priest is needed, and a new leader, and it's all just too – "

"I understand." Yume silenced him with a finger to his lips. That simple gesture made his heart start to pound rapidly. "We can just enjoy what we have for now."

"Y-Yes." Haru nodded, and Yume rewarded him with a blinding smile. God, she's enchanting. Returning to her position next to him, they lapsed into a comfortable silence as they basked in each other's company.

Yume spoke up some time later. "I know I shouldn't bring this back up, Haru, but I know that you're still hurting and I don't want that. You can tell me anything, okay? I promise that you'll feel better afterwards. I speak from experience."

He looked to his side and only saw genuine sincerity and encouragement on her pretty face. He wanted to, God, he wanted to, but he wasn't sure if he could.

"Come on," she prompted, probably sensing he was about to yield and she was right, for he did.

"He was our leader, Yume." His voice was gruff, laden with bitterness. "We wouldn't have made it this far without him. He, he… He's the only reason we're still alive right now! And how did we thank him? We let him _die_ right in front of us." And suddenly, he was on a roll, his emotions too tumultuous and overpowering for any shred of rationality to shine through. "He became my friend. He understood me. He told me about making it through all of this together, as one party. The night before he… he _died,"_ Haru somehow choked out, "he even mentioned how he thought we were progressing very well. Working and co-operating with each other like a true party. No longer individuals, but a group. Becoming _friends."_

Haruhiro didn't know how he managed to hold back the tears threatening to spill over, but he somehow did.

Yume nodded, pleased with his admission even though her eyes were glossing over as well as he recounted how Manato had helped their unlikely gang to bond together despite their painfully obvious differences and gain a foothold on this new, alien world where survival proved to be harder than expected. "He really changed our lives, huh?" she sighed, twisting a loose tendril of her hair around a finger. Haruhiro noted absently that her hair looked even better let down and flowing freely over her shoulders. "We're all affected, one way or another. Ranta too, even though he might not act like it. Don't think you're alone in shouldering the burden of his death, because you're not. We're all going to help each other move forward." She leaned forward with a small smile, and her sweet, natural scent pervaded his senses. "And I'll always be here for you, Haru. Never forget that."

And just like that, the dam broke. Maybe it was because Yume was beside him and it felt right. Or maybe because the waterworks were already long overdue. First, it was a single tear that squeezed out from his eyes, and before he knew it, it all came pouring out like a downpour. He bent forward into a foetal position as he let loose everything inside him: the rage towards the goblin archer, disappointment at his own incompetency at protecting his friend and lastly, regret that they hadn't been able to save him.

All the while, Yume patted and stroked his back, mumbling words of comfort and reassurance as he squeezed every last drop out, letting him know that she's there for him, just like how he had been there for her that afternoon.

 **END**


	2. Chapter 2

**"Chores"**

 _Time Frame: This happens before they recruit Mary, when the group is still trying to figure out where they stand without Manato. Recovering. Piecing each other together and becoming whole again._

* * *

"You're really bad at this, Haru. Do you want me to help?"

Haruhiro scowled at the teasing note in the redhead's voice and shook his head violently. "I just… Need. A break," he insisted between raspy breaths that had Yume scrunching her face in concern.

He had refused to accept any form of assistance from Moguzo, so allowing Yume to lend him a hand was out of the question entirely. His pride as a man was at stake here and he had a feeling that he will never hear the end of it from the grinning girl if he threw in the proverbial towel.

Oh, he was tempted though. He was stooped over, hands on his knees as he struggled to regain control over his overzealous respiratory system. Beads of sweat constantly dripped into his eyes, blurring and obscuring his vision. He had to stop and wipe at them every few seconds with irritation. His t-shirt was completely soaked, and his body - his arms in particular from the repeated motion of lifting and swinging downwards - ached something fierce. He was sure he was suffering from a minor concussion from how many times his brain had rattled against his skull from the dull impact of the axe he was wielding imbedding itself deeply into the sturdy chopping block.

Thank God it was sturdy, because it would otherwise have succumbed to the punishment Haruhiro had been dishing out for the past few hours.

Yes, you heard right. He had been at it for a few straight hours.

And he was still on his first infuriating log. It resembled more like minced meat by then though, with chips missing here and there from where the axe had made contact but failed to slice it open. Despite all the visible damage done to it, the log still stood tall and unyielding, almost mocking in its determination to mess with the brunet.

But Haruhiro wasn't about to be bested by a scrawny log, damn it.

He had no idea what he was doing wrong, but he was getting _close._ He could feel it. That stubborn no-good piece of wood was going to give way sooner or later, and he'll be the one to deal that fatal blow that will break its once indomitable will into two pieces, along with its mortal body.

That thought made him smile maniacally.

Yume frowned at him, probably due to the creepy tilt of his lips. She turned to where Moguzo was sitting and shearing off the small protruding branches from the freshly acquired logs with a small hatchet. "How long has he been at this again?"

The warrior scratched his head in a sheepish manner. "Around three hours, I think."

"And he's still on his first log?" Yume asked incredulously.

Haruhiro grumbled to himself. "I'm right here, you know. I can hear the two of you." _Maybe I shouldn't have volunteered for wood chopping duty. But Shihoru already took the cleaning duty, and Ranta is off doing God knows what..._

Yume laughed while Mozuto merely offered him a slight shrug of his massive shoulders. The stack of firewood ready to be split next to Mozuto was growing in height and width slowly but steadily, a fact which Haruhiro chose to ignore studiously. It was becoming hard, however, considering it was starting to creep into the edges of his vision.

Well, he would just have to quicken his pace then. He was done playing around. Feeling Yume's eyes on him, Haruhiro took a deep breath and yelled out a battle cry like a brave knight charging into war. The brunet hoisted the axe in his hand up into the air with both hands, his eyes pinned on the offending log in front of him that had evaded its demise for way too long. Once his choice of weapon reached the highest point of the arc above his head, Haruhiro swung it down with all the strength he possessed and watched in gleeful anticipation for the log to –

Fall sideways and roll off the chopping block, the axe barely grazing its intended target, peeling off just a thin strip of bark that floated away in the warm afternoon breeze with a languidness that Haru did _not_ feel.

The sound of Yume bursting into laughter was normally music to his ears, but the situation was slightly different this time and he just felt like strangling the very life out of her. He swivelled on the spot and glared at the redhead clutching her stomach while rolling around on the grass. "It's not funny, Yume!"

His protest merely sent her into another round of laughter. She was chortling so hard tears were being squeezed out of the corner of her eyes. Mozuto glanced at them with the ghost of a smile and gave him a barely imperceptible shake of his head to convey his disappointment before returning to his task at hand.

Haruhiro sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

Yume took a few seconds to collect herself, that nettling curve of her lips lingering even after she regained her composure. She ambled over and petted him on his head in a patronizing way that had him folding his arms and staring at her with the most murderous look he could manage. It clearly wasn't too terrifying, as she giggled and poked the side of his cheek with her index finger. "You can't pull off angry, Haru. You just look ridiculously cute."

He couldn't help it; he blushed. "C-Cute?"

She nodded cheerfully, her pigtails bouncing up and down as she did so. "Yeah! You're blushing too."

"Am I? Must be the heat and all that wood-chopping." Or lack thereof.

"Nuh-uh." Yume wagged her finger disapprovingly – the exact one that had poked him in the cheek – and pouted. "You're lying. You're embarrassed because I called you cute right?"

Haru didn't know what to say, so he just stared at her as she looked at him expectantly, waiting for a reply that will never come. She was always so easy-going and full of life, sometimes he felt like it's hard to keep up with her, but he guessed that's part of her charm. He quite liked it, if he was to be honest with himself. He liked how she brightened gloomy situations with her contagious spirit and vigour. He liked how she always spoke her mind, even if sometimes she ended up blurting out something offending or undeniably silly. And most of all, he liked how she looked at him like he's her source of happiness, because she was definitely the brightest spot in his life as well.

"Haru?" Yume prompted with her head cocked to one side as she peered at him curiously. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Sorry, I was just thinking of… something else."

"What? Tell me!" She jumped up and down twice before a frown marred her pretty features as something occurred to her. "Wait. Why are you thinking of something else when I'm talking to you? Am I that disinteresting?" Yume leaned forward until her face was centimetres away from his, her lips pulled into a tight line with displeasure. "Huh? Haru? Do I bore you?"

Haru took a step back, holding out his hands in a pacifying gesture. "No, of course not! That's not what I meant!"

"Then what got you so distracted, huh?"

"Uhm…" He couldn't tell her what he was thinking – he wasn't comfortable enough with her yet. He might actually die from mortification. Was it possible? He didn't want to find out. "I… It's a secret."

Yume poked him in the chest once. Twice. Thrice. "So we're" – _poke – "_ keeping secrets from" – _poke –_ "each other now?" _Poke._

Haru was moving backwards as the redhead advanced menacingly with her extended index finger threatening to erode a path through his chest. His hands were held up in a signal of surrender in the air, not that it mattered to Yume. "You're getting this all wrong!"

"Then explain it to me!"

"I can't!"

"Then I'm going to _tickle_ you until you do!"

Without any further warning, she tackled him to the ground, the both of them landing in a messy tangle of limbs atop a pile of leaves. Yume proceeded to make good on her promise, ignoring his high-pitched pleas of mercy. Straddling him and using her body weight to hold Haru down, she utilized her advantageous position to the fullest and mercilessly targeted his weak spots, causing Haru to writhe about futilely with laughter in an attempt to escape her searching hands.

"S-Stop! I… _ahh,_ give up!"

"Are you going to tell me what you were thinking?"

"No, I can't – "

"Then no, I'm not stopping!"

"But I'm not done with chopping the – "

" _After_ you tell me your secret, Haru, and not a second sooner."

* * *

Mozuto looked over from where he was sitting at the pair goofing off, the air saturated with their breathless laughter, empty threats and an occasional squealing that could very well be mistaken as a dying piglet. They didn't look like they would be stopping anytime soon, he thought with a wry twitch of his lips, and night was falling soon. He glanced at the chopping board and then to the furnace totally devoid of any chopped firewood before his gaze went back to Haruhiro and Yume, the latter now trying to suffocate the former with a large leaf over his face.

So much for helping with the chores.

* * *

 **A/N: I'll just like to say a huge thank you to those who've reviewed and asked for me to continue. So, here you go. What I'll do is change this story into a compilation of short stories that follow the anime's storyline. Unfortunately, from what I've heard, in the actual anime, Haru isn't interested in Yume (not that there's much progress romance-wise in the LN, but from whatever hints have been given, the pairing is NOT going to be harume, which makes me sad) so I might have to make alterations when that time comes about. Anywho, enjoy this short chapter of how I've always imagined Yume and Haru to be like together!**

 **Please leave a review if you're enjoying this story. It'll tell me if I should continue or not. (Hopefully y'all like it, since I enjoy writing this alot :P) Thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Progress**

 **Time Frame: Before Mary's recruitment**

* * *

"Behind you, Moguzo! Look out!"

The bulky warrior took heed of Haruhiro's warning just in the nick of time to avoid being skewered clean through the abdominal area by a small green goblin's spear from the back. He had been too preoccupied by the larger goblin, this one a dirty blue who appeared to be the leader of the group with its size and stature and the way it directed the underlings with grunts and gestures that sent them rushing to comply.

As both groups disentangled by unspoken consent to take stock of their injuries and re-strategize, Moguzo gave his leader a harried glance filled with gratitude before returning to eye the goblins with a wariness that they had earned through their fortitude and stubborn determination to survive. "Thanks, Haruhiro. You saved my life."

Haruhiro waved it off. "You would have done the same for me."

"This is all _really_ touching," Ranta snapped from his sitting position on the ground, rubbing tenderly at a large gash on his elbow. The rest of him, Haruhiro noted with much relief, appeared relatively unscathed besides for minor scratches and grazes here and there. He functioned as their secondary tank, and now without a Priest to heal whatever damage sustained by Moguzo, they needed him more than ever to step up and inherit that role from time to time so the big warrior can retreat from the frontlines and guzzle down a potion to recover. "But we're in a middle of a fight, for crying out loud. Save all the kissing and making up for when we return home, idiot."

Yume who was guarding their flanks pegged the back of the boy's head with one of her trademark glares. Not that Ranta could see it, but Haruhiro was sure he could feel it.

He always did.

"Don't be rude, Ranta. Haru just saved Moguzo's life, and he's grateful so he wants to thank him. You should try that sometimes."

The black-haired Dread Knight swivelled around to look at Yume with distaste. "I'll do whatever I want, thank you very much. How about you focus on landing one of your arrows instead? Perhaps then you'll be more of a help to the party."

Yume stiffened, her expression morphing from irritation to one of indignation. "I can't help it if the goblins are moving faster than I can aim – "

"That's the problem! You can't help it; you can't help us! What are you even doing here then?! HUH?"

Yume was about to rebuke when Haruhiro stepped in, cutting the two of them off. "That's enough," he shouted with finality, causing everybody to pause and look up at him. With all of their expectant eyes on him, he floundered a little, feeling heat creep up his neck. He never was very good at dealing with attention, but if he was to succeed Manato as party leader and replace that gaping hole both physically and mentally, he would have to overcome this fear of his. "Look, I know we're all nervy and on edge because of today's disappointing haul" - Shihoru nodded mutely in agreement from where she was standing at the back while Ranta snorted and went back to tending to his wound - "and I think there's no sugar-coating it. We're an uncoordinated mess. At this rate, no Priest in the right frame of mind will want to join us. But, we just have to keep at it, find that rhythm we fell into so naturally before Manato's... ah, before that setback. We are getting there - I can feel it."

"Yeah," Moguzo said quietly, "it's only going to get better from here."

Ranta snorted again, but didn't offer anything more. His armour clanked noisily as he got to his feet slowly. Even though he didn't complain, Haruhiro knew from his pale complexion and thinned lips that the wound was taking its toll on him.

Not for the first time that week, Haruhiro felt as if the burden thrusted onto his shoulders was more than he could bear. He was leading a party dangerously low on morale and motivation, and he was utterly clueless on how to lift their spirits. Throw his incompetence and lack of confidence into the mix, and they had a one-way ticket to confusion central.

Furthermore, without a healer in the party, they had to be even more cautious than before, which meant more strategies, formations and switching and whatnot. Planning was never really his forte, and it showed in his ever-changing tactics.

He was literally just trying out every trick in the book until one worked to a certain degree, to which he'll then expound on it and make certain tweaks so that his party could utilise it to its fullest potential.

His friends not once grumbled or groused about his constant change in orders, but it was only a matter of time. He felt pressured to step up and fulfill his responsibility as the party leader. To soothe their unease with words of comfort, to gain their absolute trust through flawless execution of his iron-clad plans.

To prove to them - and himself - that he has what it takes to bring them forward.

Lost in his musings, his wandering gaze seemed to automatically seek out Yume who smiled encouragingly at him despite how obviously tired she was. She mouthed the words "good job" - no doubt in light of the little speech he had given them a minute ago. He gave her a small smile back in return, his cheeks warming.

"Get ready. They're coming again." Moguzo's words stirred the group from their zombie-like state. Stumbling to their feet, Haruhiro watched with heaviness in his chest as his party members picked up their scattered gear with jerky, fatigued movements.

They wouldn't be like that if I was a better leader. Bitterness swept over him in a crushing wave, stealing away his ability to breathe.

He shook that thought off just as the goblins gave one rallying cry before charging forward as one. Moguzo responded with an impressive roar of his own, one of the many skills in his arsenal. Several goblins on the frontline froze abruptly, losing their wits from sheer terror, which in turn caused their comrades behind to collide into their backs, sending many sprawling onto the ground.

There was no better opening than that, and everyone knew it. By unspoken consent, with the big warrior spearheading the attack, the party of five sprang into action with their weapons brandished, ready to stain the ground red with the blood of their foes. The two groups met again in another fierce clash of magic, weapons and will, and this time it was one to the death.

Dinner was a quiet affair, each and every one absorbed by their own thoughts about the day's happenings. The raid didn't go down as badly as Haruhiro initially thought it went; they did manage to procure reasonably decent loots that went for a respectable sum of a silver.

Money was no longer their foremost concern. It had taken a back seat as they found themselves occupied with more pressing ones like finding themselves a Priest and getting their act together. Their teamwork today was borderline shambolic, reminding the brunet of their earlier days, and even though Haruhiro was more than ready to accept the blame due to his sub-par leadership, the others - with the exception of Ranta who declared his performance today as "immaculate" - were quick to admit to their individual errors and spread the blame around. They followed it up with a discussion of how to nullify their weaknesses and bolster their respective strengths, something of vital importance if they were to make the most out of what little they had in their situation.

Haruhiro then gently steered the conversation towards tactical positioning and what he had learnt from the day's events.

Suggestions and opinions regarding it were shared over wine that was quickly downed like water, and productivity slowed to a halt soon after as the mild alcohol worked its magic. One by one, Moguzo, Ranta then finally Shihoru excused themselves to retire to bed, ignoring Haruhiro's protests that it was their day off tomorrow and there was no need to sleep so early.

And that was how Haruhiro found himself alone with a very inebriated Yume at the table.

He would have been worried and unsure of what to do, if not for the fact that she had fallen asleep sometime between him wishing goodnight to Shihoru and his return from placing the dirty dishes in the sink.

He felt the side of his lips tug into a smile as he gazed at the softly snoring redhead, a weird feeling that he could only identify as something akin to affectionate amusement making his chest ache - but in a good way. Yume had her forehead resting against the table, cushioned by her hands she was using as a makeshift pillow. Her fiery red hair looked like a curtain made from the finest silk, soft and smooth, fanning around one side of her head as it freed itself from the confines of her hairpin she must have loosened in the midst of her fidgeting to find a comfortable spot. It brought his attention to the elaborate shape of her pixie ear on the other side, and the stray tendrils that fluttered over it in the breeze. The light from the fire by the oven cast shadows over her petite figure, bathing the side facing the flickering flames in a flattering orange glow.

She looked almost ethereal, he realized. His fingers itched to run through the strands of her scarlet hair he had come to associate with passion and wild abandon; he wanted to wrap himself around her and act as her shield, protecting her from all the dangers in the world. He wanted to capture this moment forever; this fleeting moment of absolute peace and tranquility and store it away in his mind, because as he had found out recently, life is fragile and could be taken away in the blink of an eye.

Haruhiro stayed like that for awhile, watching the shadows dance over her skin, listening to her even breathing and occasional incoherent mumbling. He didn't know what to make of the odd sense of satisfaction taking root, neither did he want to think too much about it.

He was content to just let this... beautiful, growing thing they had going on blossom slowly. He wasn't in any sort of rush, and good things are always worth waiting for.

With that calming thought and a yawn that escaped his lips, Haruhiro got to his feet quietly and padded over to the sleeping girl. Tenderly, almost reverently, he scooped her up and carried her bridal style to the second floor where her room was, careful not to jar her awake with any loud noise or sudden movements. He kept one arm securely tucked under the back of her knees and one just at the back of her shoulders. He was worried that her head would loll without any support, but it proved to be unwarranted as Yume just curled towards him, snuggling close and resting her head against his bicep with a small mew of happiness.

He would be lying if he said that he didn't flush with pride.

He was all too conscious of how warm and firm her skin felt to the touch, and how her plain t-shirt rode up high to show off a smooth expanse of skin around her waist. Even her belly button looked perfect, damn it.

"There has to be something about you that's imperfect," he grumbled unknowingly, did a double take and checked immediately to make sure that she was still asleep. When she didn't move, he released the breath he was holding and kept his mouth firmly shut the whole way up the stairs.

When he entered her room with measured steps, Shihoru was already dead to the world, one hand flung over the side of her bed. Haruhiro stifled a chuckle and set Yume down on her bed. She made a small, gurgled sound of complaint at the loss of heat and turned over to her side instantly, her legs moving up to her chest in a foetal position.

He shook his head wryly as she tossed and turned several times within a minute before finally settling on a downward position with her cheek pressed to the pillow and her hands slotted comfortably beneath it. She wriggled a little more, which made Haruhiro glance downwards at the generous curve of her bottom. Flushing with embarrassment and shyness, he quickly averted his eyes to respect her modesty, but not before he got a good look that he wasn't going to forget anytime soon.

The rush of blood South also informed him that he probably wasn't going to get to sleep anytime soon.

Sighing, he scrubbed a hand down his face and mentally reprimanded himself to get his mind out of the gutter. He wasn't like Ranta. He wasn't about to let such basic urges get the better of him.

Using one hand to shield the side of his face so as to narrow his field of vision and discourage any further attempts at peeking, Haruhiro unfurled the neatly folded blanket with a single-handed flourish and laid it over Yume. Once he ensured that everything was in order, he turned and swiftly walked out of the room, grumbling to himself about overactive hormones and stress.

If he had stayed around a little longer, he might have caught how Yume flipped around onto her back and peered furtively towards the corridor from under her blanket, an impish grin on her face as bright as the sun.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello people. I'm sorry for the incredibly long delay between updates. I just have lots to do currently. I'm writing articles on events that are happening for some extra allowance, and I never realized what a fucking chore it is to write 250~300 words because I'm anal about every little thing and keep returning to edit the smallest things. Yeah, fuck that takes a lot of time. And I'm pretty much tasked with one every two to three days, so that limits how much time I have to write such stuff.**

 **ANYWHO. HERE'S SOME HARUME GOODNESS FOR YOU ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR FANTASTIC REVIEWS! I literally smile while reading some of them. If you enjoyed this chapter as well, let me know. It's not too much fluff, just a little bit of character development all around to get things on track before the next bit of fluff. So look forward to the next chapter, I promise it's going to be pure yumexharu :)**

 **And... For the people awaiting an update for Zealous, I'm sorry, it's going to take awhile more. I have roughly 3,000 or so words typed out, but I intend the upcoming chapter to be the ENTIRE fight scene, so it's probably going to end up being like 6k ~ 7k words. Yeah. Just give me awhile to type that shit out, yeah?**

 **Till next time!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N** : Hello people. This update might come as a bit of a surprise to some of you who have thought me dead, but well, here it is. A short one, of course, since I felt that it's fitting to end it here instead of continuing on. I'm already at work on the next chapter, so it shouldn't take too long before that one's out! It'll have a lot more interaction between Haru and Yume, so look forward to it! ;) anyway, I'm back from my hiatus and I'll be uploading more regularly now.

On a side note... THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE LOVE IN THE REVIEWS! I'm really happy to see that so many of you are enjoying the story so far. I promise I'll finish this one way or another. wengrimgarseason2tho? :(

* * *

 **Steamy**

* * *

Haruhiro woke up to a persistent, dull hammering in his skull, his mouth as dry as sand and feeling like he could drain an entire stream of its contents and still be left unsatisfied. His eyes immediately fluttered close again in protest of the sliver of blinding light filtering through the thin, worn out curtains - the sole line of defence between the merciless sunlight and his hungover self. A groan that sounded more animal than human escaped his lips as he slapped a hand over his eyes, praying that the din inside his head would subside over time.

Never again, he vowed to himself. Never again will he indulge, or in this case, over-indulge in alcohol.

When enough strength seeped back into his limbs and the stifling heat in the room became too much to bear, the brunet finally pushed himself into a sitting position, rubbing at his bleary and undoubtedly bloodshot eyes.

The room was empty save for him, and a quick - and somewhat painful - glance outside the window confirmed his hunch that it's close to midday, with the sun perched high up amongst the fluffy clouds. If the sweltering weather was anything to go by, he might already have missed lunch.

His stomach revolted at the slightest thought of food, so maybe that was for the best. Teetering on unsteady legs, Haruhiro made a beeline for the bathroom to freshen up and try his best to not look and smell like death.

The bath itself was rudimentary and basic, serving its purpose as a place to rinse their bodies clean and nothing else. The four walls were just erected logs of varying thickness – the rounded nature of the cheap and easily accessible material making it close to impossible for there to be no gaps in between each other, regardless of the competency of the person who constructed it. The brunet couldn't really comment either about the workmanship as the small hut was already there when his party arrived and made the then deserted place their abode.

It had been clearly set up without much consideration towards the modesty of its occupants, and Yume was more than just a little displeased by that discovery. She had been remarkably vocal about it, much to Shihoru's chagrin. The demure sorceress hadn't wanted to make such a huge fuss in fear of adding to the already daunting list of tasks that had to be done to fix the sorry state the estate was in and restore it to its former glory. Nevertheless, when prompted by the fiery-haired archer, Shihoru managed to find the courage to squeak out an agreement that it was necessary for there to be adequate privacy for Yume and her.

The renovation work was estimated to take them a large part of the day, but with the materials – moss, dried grass and starch, the mandatory natural adhesive – found in abundance around them, it was done in half.

The scalding hot water heated by the sun did him lots of good, though he kind of wished the rationality slowly returning to him didn't come at the price of being boiled alive. It was a real bother sometimes; the temperature of the water they bathed in daily was entirely out of their control. They were at the mercy of the constantly changing weather. Haruhiro couldn't remember the last time he had hot water to shower in, what with them always waking up at the crack of dawn and returning only after the sun had long disappeared beyond the horizon.

Maybe Yume was right. Maybe it's time to build a bigger bathhouse, one with the proper amenities and temperature control.

They'll have to build two though, one for the guys and the other for the girls.

Or... His eyes closing, Haruhiro let himself entertain the idea of a communal one, and unsurprisingly, after yesterday's events, an image of Yume clad in nothing but her favourite faded pink towel wrapped around her torso lounging at the side of the bath with both her long, toned legs dipped into the water popped up in his mind. Her hair - the vibrant shade of red quickly working its way up his list of favourite colors - was twisted up in a high bun and now a dark ruby, sleek and glossy from moisture. She smiled at him, a lazy tilt of her full lips that had him inhaling sharply. The details were so sharp and clear that he could even see the rivulets of water trickling down from her hair, past her dainty cheekbones, along the smooth skin of her neck towards the generous glimpse of cleavage offered by the towel.

Have mercy on his soul. Haruhiro was sure at that moment if he flipped through a dictionary to look up the word "temptation", Yume will be there, with that cheeky glint in her eyes and every delicious inch of creamy skin on display.

Damn it. When did he start looking at the redhead in such a scandalous light? Everything had been innocent enough before last night. Sure, there were times before when he would notice and appreciate the feminine curves on her body – he was _male,_ after all, and he'll have to be blind not to – but never to such an outrageous extent.

He was actually _fantasizing_ about her now.

What had changed? Was it her admittance to liking him that spurred his hormones to go into overdrive? Because if that's the case, he'll have to do some serious reflection. She wasn't about to hop into the sack with him just because she fancied him.

… Or would she?

The brunet forced himself to deviate from that line of thought. Curling his hand into a fist around the handle of a small wooden scoop, Haruhiro lowered his head and lifted it above his head. The warm liquid came pouring down a second later and he welcomed the feel of it travelling down his body, washing away the remnants of his steamy fantasy, though the evidence of it remained hard and persistent.

He heaved out a sigh, tousling his wet hair in irritation.

So much for taking a short bath.


	5. Chapter 5

**Gullible pt. 1**

A/N: I'm back with a relatively short update, but it's only the first part of what would probably be a three-part chapter. I'm not quite done torturing Haru yet, and I'm sure we all want to see Yume in all her uncensored glory when picking out things she fancies. ;) Stay tuned for more in the near future! Hope you guys enjoy this short but kinda cute (i hope) chapter!

* * *

Haruhiro had faced down groups of pesky goblins with spears that didn't so much as hesitate to shove that sharpened tip through an intruder's chest.

He had once ventured, without his party's knowledge nor consent, into the shallow levels of an underground cavern to investigate the hunting prospects there and almost lost his life to the aggressive Kobolds that hunted in packs with their acute sense of smell and sharp eyesight.

He had looked death in the eye multiple times ever since his arrival in what was now his new reality, but not once had he faltered. Granted, he might not have been able to pull through without the support of his party members, but the point was that he did and that's all that matters in the end.

But all of that paled in comparison to the ferocious opponent awaiting him with small beady eyes that screamed "evil". He was facing his biggest, most fearsome and daunting adversary yet. Towering over him, nearly twice his height and with a girth that spanned nearly the entire riverbank, dwarfing him, this deceptively innocent monster smelled faintly of cherry blossoms and steamed local delicacies.

Haruhiro narrowed his eyes at the smiling mascot on the floating banner rippling in the wind and took a deep breath, reaching for the dagger strapped to his waist. He wasn't about to go down without a fight. He would prove that there's nothing he can't -

"Why do you look so tense, Haru? Brighten up, would you? It's a lovely day and we're going to go shopping!" Yume squealed, giving his arm a solid tug before twirling in a circle and basking in the warmth of the early morning sun.

"That's the problem," he muttered under his breath.

"Hmm?" Yume turned around to look at him curiously. "Did you say something?"

Haruhiro jerked in surprise. "Nothing," he assured quickly, a little _too_ quickly.

Yume narrowed her eyes slightly, her wily feminine instincts on point as per usual. Thankfully, she shrugged a second later, her good mood deterring her from asking any further questions. "I could've sworn I heard... Oh well." She started skipping towards their destination. "Let's go, Haru! I can't wait to check out what there's for sale!"

Glancing at the exuberant girl moving ahead without him, Haruhiro closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to wrap his head around how "a lovely day" and "shopping" could end up in the same sentence without the existence of the word "not" in it.

Actually, the more pressing question at hand he should be entertaining was how had Yume managed to convince him to tag along on one of her many infamous shopping escapades?

But even before he had finished forming that question, he already knew the answer. That crafty girl had just batted an eyelash at him, regarded him with her large imploring eyes and flashed him her brightest, most dazzling smile.

He hadn't stood a chance against that three-pronged attack.

Looking back, he wasn't even sure if he had heard what her request was. He had probably just nodded dumbly in response, too enraptured by everything about her, and when she threw herself at him in delight, silently cursed the Gods above for making him a blithering idiot whenever it came to her.

He knew he was going to pay the price soon, but back then he couldn't find the strength to give a damn with Yume's arms wrapped around his torso, her head buried in the nook of his neck and their bodies not even a whisper apart.

And now... was all that really worth the pain he was about to go through now?

"Come on, Haru, keep up! You're such a slowpoke today!" Yume swivelled around with an exaggerated flourish, the sting from that teasing remark dampened by the twinkling laughter in her expressive eyes. It had Haruhiro snapping upright and smiling involuntarily.

She looked absolutely breathtaking clad in a simple pale blue flowing kimono complete with a pair of wooden clogs that clacked noisily along the cobblestone pavement. The strangely nostalgic outfit brought her scarlet hair pulled into a chignon into sharp relief, making it even more prominent. It should have clashed terribly, but Yume somehow managed to make it work.

Haruhiro had a hunch that regardless of what she wore, she'll still absolutely blow him away.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he called out to the redhead who was now at the first row of shops, peering at something the animated vendor was offering to her with a perplexed look on her face. Her nose scrunched up further adorably as she picked the item up, and she tapped her chin with a finger contemplatively.

"Haruuuuuu! What do you think of this?" she called out loudly, waving the shiny object in question in the air, much to the shopkeeper's apparent distress and panicked protests which fell on deaf ears. "Shihoru's birthday is coming, and this might just do it!"

Shaking his head in a resigned manner - an action he did a lot around her - though the smile remained plastered on his face, he broke into a jog to check on her and save the poor man from a Yume-induced heart-attack.

What was he even thinking? Of course it was worth it.

 _She_ was worth it.

This girl deserved the goddamn world.

 **TBC**


End file.
